I had this happen to me and I also didn't find out that that the litter wasn't viable till I contacted them. On researching further into the breeder. I have since chalked up his lack of communication to the fact he is a typical old school man, not a talker and more interested in his dogs then the people his selling them too. This was hard for me as I am a big talker and would of preferred constant updates, especially once the 2nd litter I went with was born. All communication has been instigated by me. I have however been assured that he knows his stuff by the local GSD community and this is just him. However good luck with your decision. I think it's something we also need to add to the checklist of researching breeders is that they also match your expectations of communication too, not just good bloodlines, titles and reputation etc.

I will never work with deposits anymore after a bad experience. I'll pay for the pup the day I pick him/her up. I might miss out on a pup the time I decide I am ready but so be it. I have time to wait for the right one to come along. I believe that if it's meant to be you'll find the dog you were looking for.

AS many say, it is often at the last minute that the realization hits that there is no litter...many many reasons.....I don't usually do pregnancy checks/head counts until very late - BUT I don't take deposits until pups hit the ground either.....and I don't cash deposit checks until they are a few weeks old....

I have also honored old prices on pups when I have had someone waiting a long time.....if they have an import litter, there may be more costs involved in that particular litter - but at the same time, I would expect to get a pup for the price I was quoted or have the deposit returned - non refundable is applicable if the pup IS available and the buyer backs out, if the pup is not available, then it is refundable (at least in my definition!)

If you don't want to wait - you may find another litter you like - but you may not....

I don't do x-rays or an ultra-sound unless I think there might be an issue. And since lots of females gain weight and sometimes have other signs of pregnancy, it is typical not to know until the due date, or after the due date.

This is nature. Dogs seem to have litters when bred at a higher rate than humans get pregnant, but it simply isn't 100% And, the health of my girls and the pups is more important than whether buyers know today or 1 week earlier. Getting her x-rayed just so potential buyers will know 9 weeks prior to their bringing home a puppy instead of 8 weeks prior to bringing home a puppy is simply a no-brainer to me.

The amount of x-ray the bitch undergoes for a litter of puppies is very small. But if you add hip x-rays, and maybe x-raying an injury, and then x-raying the bitch prior to having each litter, and every false pregnancy, and possibly after to to ensure no retained puppy, well, it can add up, and it is really un-necessary.

I agree with every1 never trust breeders 100% especially from backyards breeders. They could just be ripping you off which is true. It's breeder to do research with other breeders and ask them all sorts of questions. Search online or ask on here what to ask, warning phrases, and what to look for in responsible breeders. Sorry about the kids dissappointed but in the end I'm sure they'll be happier with a GSD who's VERY experience and knows what they are doing and are very honest.

also remember that the due date is not a singular day . A female may be bred over a 5 day period -- had one happy female that would stand almost the entire 21 days of the cycle - you witness a tie , you figure out when those pups are due. Anyway even at best the gestation time is 60 to 63 days , then figure out if conception was on day one or the last time you had a tie , and then the semen has a survivability of 48 hrs(?) so conception again is not the date of the tie .

You may have in some cases a litter that may be born a week later than expected by calendar estimation.

Carmen

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It's hard to figure out the best way to handle deposits, but I do think the "nonrefundable no matter what" deposit policies are pretty crappy for the puppy buyer. And as a breeder, I don't want someone to get a puppy from me just because they got "trapped" by giving a deposit.

Ultrasound and xray counts are notoriously inaccurate. If I suspect a female isn't pregnant, I would try to give anyone with a deposit a head's up just so the disappointment isn't a surprise. But what if you have a disaster and a mom/pups don't survive? These things can happen. But then I think the deposit should be refunded if the puppy buyer doesn't want to carry it forward to a future litter.

My main concern as someone taking deposits is that I don't want to turn away a great home because I don't have a puppy available--only to have a buyer back out at the last minute--that's a case where a deposit would not be refunded.

Christine

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